Cost Of Living For a Family in Colombo 2024

Average monthly spending for families in Colombo

We consider a family to be a member of four members, two adults and two children. This is the most common type of family. From the figures below, it should be fairly easy to calculate the average spending for families of different sizes.

How much money does a family need in a month to survive in Colombo?

Families in Colombo spend around 860,000 LKR per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a family can survive with a monthly budget as low as 300,000 LKR or as high as 5.6M LKR. Location and income are very important factors and have a huge influence on expenditure and budget.

Family expenditure to income ratio in Colombo

Analysing the how affordable it is for families to live in Colombo

One of the most definite ways to determine how affordable a place is measuring the ratio of expenses to salary. A high expense-to-income to ratio indicates a high cost-of-living index while a low expenditure-to-salary ratio means the place is affordable to live in. Families usually spend a larger chunk of their income than other population groups. A typical and healthy expenditure percentage for a family of four ranges between 70% to 80%.

Families in Colombo spend around 98% of their monthly income. Some families spend as low as 91% of their income while some as high as 110%.

How do families spend their money in Colombo?

We asked thousands of families about their spending habits and expenditure break down.

Housing and accomodation expenditure for families

Families in Colombo typically spend from 19% to 34% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 24% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 270,000 LKR with expenditure ranging from 96,000 LKR to 1.8M LKR. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.

Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for families

Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Colombo ranges from 4% to 9% of total expenses with 6% being the average for most families. The average monthly cost of utilities is 43,000 LKR with 15,000 LKR and 280,000 LKR being the upper and lower limits for a family of four.

Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for families

Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a family resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a family would expect to spend from 30,000 LKR to 560,000 LKR in a month on commuting with 86,000 LKR being the norm for most families. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 4% of total spending on average but can go as low as 2% or as high as 6%.

Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for families

The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical family in a month in Colombo is 150,000 LKR. The cost of groceries can range between 54,000 LKR to 1M LKR. Families spend on average about 22% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 15% and 28% respectively.

Healthcare and medical services expenditure for families

Families in Colombo allocate 8% to 17% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 12%. The range of medical expenses range from 27,000 LKR to 450,000 LKR with 86,000 LKR being the norm for most families.

Leisure and shopping expenditure for families

This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 15,000 LKR to 280,000 LKR with 43,000 LKR being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 0.00% to 6% of total expenses with an average of 2% for most families.

Education and schooling expenditure for families

Spending on education can vary drastically between different families. On average, education constitutes 13% of the monthly expenditure of families with 6% and 21% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 120,000 LKR per month with 42,000 LKR being the minimum spent amount and 780,000 LKR being the maximum.

What percentage of families in Colombo are able to save money and how much can they save?

Percentage of families that reported their ability to save money

Almost 49% of surveyed families in Colombo said that they can save some money at the end of each month while 51% reported that they have to utilize their whole income to survive.

How much money do families manage to add to their savings?

Saving to Income Ratio

Average Monthly Saved Amount

Savings to income distribution levels for families

Interpretation and Analysis

Families that are able to save money can put anywhere from 7.4% to 27% of their monthly income to their savings, with 14% being the average for most families. The average monthly amount of money that families can put aside is 250,000 LKR with 87,000 LKR and 1.6M LKR being the minimum and maximum respectively.

Saving Challenges in Colombo

Reasons that make it difficult for families to save money

We wanted to understand what is stopping families from maximizing their savings in Colombo. Listed below are the answers given by the survey participants.

Around 4% of the families said that their salary is too low to accommodate a portion for savings while 7% said that the high cost of living leaves little room for savings. 10% of the residents said that they are burdened with debt and find it challenging to save money. 12% reported that they just don't have the knowledge or discipline to create and stick to a budget, leading to overspending and an inability to save. 13% of families blamed impulsive spending as the reason for saving inability. Around 8% said that unexpected expenses like medical bills or car repairs are derailing their savings goals. 5% bluntly said that they don't see the purpose of it and prefer to live each day to the fullest. 23% reported that they understand the value of saving but are putting off saving for the future, thinking they have plenty of time to start later. 15% blamed inflation, saying that every time they save some money they end up using it immediately. A surprising 2% said that social pressure and keeping up with peers or social expectations makes them overspend. Lastly, 1% blamed market instability and price fluctuations.

Typical saving choices for families in Colombo

Where do people choose to put their savings?

A typical and healthy budgeting structure

The 50/30/20 rule

Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle, location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule, which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.

• 50% for needs and financial obligations

  This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.

• 30% for wants and discretionary spending

  This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.

• 20% for savings and emergency fund

  This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.

About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting

Affordable living in Colombo

Income and cost of living compatibility

We asked families one simple question and recorded their answers.

Is it affordable or economical to live in Colombo?

Around 49% of surveyed families think that living in Colombo is affordable with proper budgeting while 52% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.

Low-cost alternatives in Colombo

People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked families how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:

Plenty of low-cost options58%

Few low-cost options42%

Based on the survey, 58% of the families living in Colombo have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 42% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.

Emergency Funds For Families

An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked families of Colombo whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.

Yes49%

No52%

Based on the survey, 52% of the families living in Colombo said that they don't have an emergency fund while 49% said that they do.

Financial Literacy in Sri Lanka

Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.

Financial Leteracy41%

We asked family guardians and parents in Colombo whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 59% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 41% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.

Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning

We wanted to understand whether families of Sri Lanka have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 51% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 49% said that they have everything under control.

Struggles with finance51%

Easily manages finances49%

Financial goals of families in Colombo

In an attempt to understand the economic situation in Colombo, we asked participants about their financial targets. By knowing what the population in general is trying to achieve, we can shed light on the economic outlook, cost of living, and quality of life in general.

Around 9% of families said that their main goal is to establish an emergency fund to cover unexpected expenses while 48% said their number one priority is to pay off high-interest debt or loans and improve credit. 12% of surveyed people confirmed that saving for retirement to ensure a comfortable lifestyle in the final years is their main target. Around 6% reported that their priority is saving for the tuition fees and education costs of their children while 19% choose to buy a home or pay off existing mortgage before other things. 5% of the population would like to build wealth through investments such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or real estate. For 4% of people, saving for vacations or upgrading their lifestyle is the number one concern. Approximately 17% of the residents said that saving for healthcare expenses including insurance premiums is their main goal.

Debt, loans, and mortgages in Colombo

Percentage of families who are in debt

According to the survey, 31% of the families in Colombo have some kind of debt, loan, mortgage, or credit card payments while 69% reported that they don't have financial obligations to banks.

Debt-to-income ratio in Colombo

Interpretation

The debt-to-income ratio measures the percentage of income being paid as debt settlement across the population. It is calculated by dividing the monthly debt settlement payment of an individual by their monthly income. Based on collected data, approximately 35% of a family's monthly income in Colombo goes to debt settlement.

Debt levels

Monthly debt settlement payment as percentage of monthly income

According to our data, 4% of the debtors in Colombo pay 60%+ of their income as debt settlement while 22% of the people pay 50% to 60% of their income for the same, which is quite an alarming financial situation for those individuals. 16% of people in debt dedicate 40% to 50% of their income to loan and mortgage payments while 18% dedicated 30% to 40% of income for same. Things are looking brighter for 7% of individuals as they only pay 20% to 30% of their income for loan and credit card repayment.

Distribution by type of debt in Colombo

5% of debtors in Colombo confirm that real estate mortgages constitutes the main part of their outstanding debt while 33% say that credit card payments are the reason they are in debt. Auto loans were the main type of debt for 11% of people and personal loans rose at 47%. Lastly, student loans are the main source of debt for 5% of debtors in Colombo.

Good debt vs. Bad debt

Not all debt is bad. Good debt typically refers to borrowing money for investments that can increase in value or generate income over time like purchasing a home or acquiring student loans. On the other hand, bad debt involves borrowing for things that fail to generate lasting value like high-interest credit card debt used for non-essential expenses like luxury items or vacations.

Loan Affordability Index in Colombo

Besides measuring the loan-to-income ratio, we asked families of Colombo how many times in a year they defaulted or were unable to pay their due credit card or loan payments on time. Understanding how often people default on their due payments is one of the indicators of the cost of living and economic situation.

Frequency and percentage of people who failed to pay their monthly credit card or loan payments on time last year.

Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Colombo

Rent Cost in Colombo

Monthly Rent Prices

Studio apartment monthly rent cost

46,000 LKR

69,000 LKR

180,000 LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$150

$220

$600

1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

69,000 LKR

110,000 LKR

280,000 LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$220

$360

$900

2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

92,000 LKR

140,000 LKR

370,000 LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$300

$450

$1,200

3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

110,000 LKR

180,000 LKR

500,000 LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$360

$600

$1,600

Furnished apartment monthly rent cost

220,000 LKR

550,000 LKR

1.1M LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$720

$1,800

$3,600

Townhouse monthly rent cost

180,000 LKR

280,000 LKR

790,000 LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$600

$900

$2,600

House monthly rent cost

220,000 LKR

550,000 LKR

1.1M LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$720

$1,800

$3,600

Villa monthly rent cost

280,000 LKR

690,000 LKR

1.1M LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$900

$2,200

$3,600

The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Colombo ranges between 46,000 LKR and 180,000 LKR, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 69,000 LKR to 280,000 LKR. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 92,000 LKR and 370,000 LKR per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 110,000 LKR to 500,000 LKR. The average rent of a townhouse in Colombo is around 280,000 LKR while house rental costs can be as high as 550,000 LKR per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 280,000 LKR to 1.1M LKR per month.

Apartment and house prices in Colombo

Cost of buying a property

Studio apartment price

9.2M LKR

14M LKR

28M LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$30,000

$45,000

$90,000

1-bedroom apartment price

11M LKR

18M LKR

69M LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$36,000

$60,000

$220,000

2-bedroom apartment price

18M LKR

55M LKR

110M LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$60,000

$180,000

$360,000

3-bedroom apartment price

62M LKR

92M LKR

280M LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$200,000

$300,000

$900,000

Townhouse price

79M LKR

180M LKR

690M LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$260,000

$600,000

$2.2M

House price

92M LKR

550M LKR

790M LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$300,000

$1.8M

$2.6M

Villa price

110M LKR

620M LKR

920M LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$360,000

$2M

$3M

The average price of a studio apartment in Colombo can range from 9.2M LKR to 28M LKR depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 11M LKR to 69M LKR. A villa can cost you 620M LKR on average with prices ranging from 110M LKR to 920M LKR.

House / apartment prices to income ratio

Property prices in Colombo can be x81 to x196 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x81 multiples of the average monthly salary in Colombo.

Rent to income ratio

The average rent-to-income ratio in Colombo is around 30%. This means that people pay 30% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 19% to 40% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.

Housing affordability index

The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.

Property Taxes

Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.

Home Maintenance Costs

Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.

Urban vs. rural living costs

Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.

Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Colombo

Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Colombo

Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Family

15,000 LKR

43,000 LKR

280,000 LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$49

$140

$910

Internet and cable cost

2,500 LKR

5,000 LKR

6,700 LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$8.1

$16

$22

Mobile phone bill and charges

2,000 LKR

3,300 LKR

10,000 LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$6.5

$11

$33

The average monthly energy and water consumption of families is around 43,000 LKR. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 2,500 LKR to 6,700 LKR with 5,000 LKR being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 3,300 LKR but can range between 2,000 LKR and 10,000 LKR depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.

Energy / Utility expense to income ratio

The average utility-to-income ratio in Colombo is around 7.4%. This means that people pay 7.4% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 4.2% to 12% depending on salary and location.

Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Colombo

Prices and cost of goods and services in Colombo

Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.

Fast food combo meal price

500 LKR

1,000 LKR

1,700 LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.6

$3.3

$5.4

The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Colombo is approximatly 1,000 LKR with meal cost ranging from 500 LKR to 1,700 LKR. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.

Restaurant meal for one price

1,800 LKR

2,600 LKR

5,300 LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$5.7

$8.6

$17

If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 1,800 LKR and 5,300 LKR with 2,600 LKR being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Colombo.

Fine dining meal for one price

3,500 LKR

5,300 LKR

21,000 LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$11

$17

$69

The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 3,500 LKR to 21,000 LKR with the average cost being 5,300 LKR for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Colombo.

Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..

420 LKR

670 LKR

1,000 LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.4

$2.2

$3.3

The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Colombo is around 670 LKR. Price ranges between 420 LKR and 1,000 LKR depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.

Grocery and market costs

Large bottle of milk price

330 LKR

400 LKR

500 LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.1

$1.3

$1.6

The average price of a large bottle of milk in Colombo is 400 LKR. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 500 LKR and the minimum being 330 LKR depending on the brand of milk and other properties.

12 eggs price

250 LKR

330 LKR

500 LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.81

$1.1

$1.6

A dozen eggs costs around 330 LKR on average with 250 LKR and 500 LKR being the lower and upper limits respectively.

Fresh whole chicken price

570 LKR

740 LKR

1,000 LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.8

$2.4

$3.4

The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Colombo is between 570 LKR and 1,000 LKR depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 740 LKR.

Pack of beef price

670 LKR

1,000 LKR

2,000 LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$2.2

$3.3

$6.5

The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 1,000 LKR. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.

Medium bag of rice price

270 LKR

370 LKR

520 LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.87

$1.2

$1.7

A bag of rice in Colombo costs around 370 LKR on average with prices rangeing between 270 LKR and 520 LKR depending on the brand and quality.

Bag of tomatos price

100 LKR

130 LKR

250 LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.33

$0.43

$0.81

A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 100 LKR to 250 LKR. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.

Bag of apples price

180 LKR

230 LKR

390 LKR

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.58

$0.76

$1.3

A bag of apples costs 230 LKR on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.

Grocery and food expenditure to income ratio

The average grocery-to-income ratio in Colombo is around 30%. This means that families spend 30% of their income on grocery and basic household items. The expenditure can range from 21% to 36% depending on salary and location.

Expenditure on food and grocery for families